Thanks to my high school I was able to accrue a significant amount of college credit for free through my school (BCLUW in Conrad). Despite hating going to a small school, they really helped me out there and in other aspects of my education. The reason this was so helpful is that I am now graduating this May after three short years of college, eliminating a pretty hefty chunk of student debt I would otherwise have.

I didn’t want to graduate in three years. No way. Giving up that whole year of winter break and spring break, homecoming, and let’s not forget afternoon naps, was not something I was ready to let go of. But when facing an extra $14,000 or so in debt if I stayed for another year, letting go of that last year started to look much better.

So when this petition came across my email, I was pretty excited to see what it was all about and quickly signed up. The petition was made to support H.R. 4170, The Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 introduced by Michigan Representative Hansen Clarke. It is “legislation designed to lend a helping hand to those struggling under massive amounts of student loan debt.”

Student loan debt is a financial crisis and the creator of the petition, Robert Applebaum, explains the reason why:

“As a result of more than 30 years of treating higher education as an individual commodity, rather than a public good and an investment in our collective future, those buried under the weight of their student loan debt are not buying homes or cars, not starting businesses or families, and they're not investing, inventing, innovating or otherwise engaged in any of the economically stimulative activities that we need all Americans to be engaged in if we're ever to dig ourselves out of the giant hole created by the greed of those at the very top.”

I don’t know that it could be said any better. When I went through the process of getting financial aid for my education, I was so confused I almost felt like they were purposely trying to keep me partly in the dark. I’m sure they weren’t, or rather I hope not, but it’s such a frustrating process. And I again was lucky in this process, having a father who worked at bank to help me through the process.

The bill specifically addresses federal loans and does not include private loans. This act would relieve the minds of so many people struggling to pay their debt. I know people trying their hardest, and paying as much as they can monthly to diminish their debt, but federal collectors still think it’s not enough. Despite paying as much as or more than they really can per month, they are still asked for more.

This new bill would help that problem. The goal of the act is to make loan repayment “both simple and fair.” The bill would:

Create a new “10-10 standard” for student loan forgiveness.

If you make payments equal to 10% of your discretionary income for 10 years, your remaining federal student loan debt would be forgiven.

If you have already been making payments on your student loans, your repayment period would likely be shorter than 10 years. The amount you have already paid on your student loans over the past decade would be credited toward meeting the requirement for forgiveness.

Ensure low interest rates on federal student loans by capping them at 3.4%.

Allow existing borrowers whose educational loan debt exceeds their income to break free from the crushing interest rates of private loans by converting their private loan debt into federal Direct Loans, then enrolling their new federal loans into the 10/10 program.

Reward graduates for entering public service professions like teaching and firefighting. It would also provide incentives for medical professionals to work in under-served communities. It would reduce the Public Service Loan Forgiveness requirement to 5 years from its current 10 years.

Student debt slated to skyrocket to one trillion.The petition explains that total American student loan debt is anticipated to exceed one trillon dollars this year. That is a lot of zeros. And because of budget cuts tuition just keeps increasing. I have often asked myself “what exactly is my tuition paying for?” because the price for education – something that not everyone does, something that I didn’t do because my family wanted me to or because my family could pay for it, but because I WANTED to learn and to advance my knowledge and skills – seems ridiculous.

By Katelin TiernanI’m graduating in May from UNI and have been surrounded by the uproar over the many academic cuts being made at the university. But to me, the concern isn’t over this single university in the state, or over these individual programs being eliminated, but my biggest concern is for the state of education in Iowa. I just have to wonder what’s happened, what has broken, that our government is so neglecting one of the most important and foundational things of our state?

It’s not just education, certainly, but other important things like health programs. These programs are all being swept to the side as “unimportant.” But they are not. Education, especially, cannot be looked at second, as something that doesn’t need much support.

I love Iowa, I really do. I don’t know if that is a common feeling among my peers, especially lately. A lot of people my age want to get out of this state as soon as they can. But not me. Until recently I had no doubts I would stay here pretty much my whole life; that I would have a career, getting married, and have a family all in Iowa. Now though, I’m not sure. It pains me to see a state I love throwing away the things we once held so dear.

I’m not alone, I’m sure. A fair deal of students at UNI alone want to transfer, and for many that means leaving the state entirely. Looking toward my own future I don’t think I could stay forever in a state that doesn’t value what I do, with a government in place that doesn’t value what it’s citizens do.

It all starts with education. Something we used to be able to look to in Iowa with absolute pride. We must get back to that point. That’s not going to happen by lowering budgets. That’s not going to happen by completely reforming education programs in a way that a majority of teachers don’t approve of. That’s not going to happen by Iowa citizens remaining silent.

My fellow students on campus have certainly taken notice of the changes occurring around them. Many have been vocal about their objections, but far too many focused only on the issue of closing Price Lab and the education program changes. That’s certainly a worthwhile issue, but it’s just one crack in a broken window. We have to come together, unify now, to get our state, and our education back, before the window shatters completely.